The case summed up Drop-in weddings are becoming increasingly popular in Norway. 64 people who have married in this way in the last two years. Many couples see drop-in weddings as a low-threshold alternative that frees them from large costs and a lot of planning. The offer of drop-in weddings does not come from the top of the Norwegian church, but is a result of grassroots innovation. In 2022, 30 couples got married in this way, and the following year there were 34 couples. This year it will be organized in 14 churches. It’s not just about coming to get married on the day. First, you must report to the tax authorities and get a test certificate. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. Drop-in doctor’s appointment, drop-in tire change, or drop-in hairdresser’s appointment? There are already a lot of drop-in offers. But drop-in weddings – it may not be as familiar to everyone. – We can’t handle all the stress, so it works well for us, say Maria Bingen and Marcus Bråten, who are one of the couples who have a drop-in wedding on Valentine’s Day. And more and more people think like them. In the last two years, 64 people have gotten married in drop-in weddings, according to the Church of Norway. – Can’t stand all the stress Wednesday 14 February is a completely normal day for the vast majority of people. It is also the case for Maria Inez Alvarez Bingen and Marcus Furu Bråten in Romerike. – I’m going to see the doctor in the morning. Marcus is going to work as a car mechanic, before he goes home and puts on a suit, says Maria. But after that it becomes anything but a normal day. It’s their wedding day. SEND SMS: The two have not given any thought to place cards or invitation cards, says Marcus. They simply sent out an SMS to those they thought might want to come to church. Photo: Private The 26-year-olds say that they were actually thinking of getting married in the town hall. But when they came across the offer of a drop-in wedding in the church, it was a perfect fit. – None of us is interested in spending so much money on a wedding, says Maria. All the management that comes with an ordinary wedding was the main reason why Maria and Marcus had not actually intended to get married in the church. But when they came across the drop-in offer, the choice fell on the church anyway. Photo: Hanne Høyland – It’s like booking an appointment at the dentist or at a workshop. In addition, it’s more affordable and people can just play along, says Marcus. But even if the drop-in has something trivial about it, Marcus thinks he will feel the seriousness. – I don’t think the nerves will come until I drive up the hill to the church on Wednesday. The Norwegian church And the couple from Nes are not the only ones who take advantage of the drop-in offer at the Norwegian church. Jan Kristian Kielland, department director in the Church Council, says that such weddings have become more popular in recent years. – Our impression is that many people experience this as a nice low-threshold alternative to doing something they’ve been thinking about for a while, he says. – The church has always been open to carrying out the ceremony simply with few people present. It is probably more in the culture that one blinds church weddings with big, stately weddings, says Jan Kristian Kielland, department director in the Church Council, Photo: The Norwegian Church Several people say that it is liberating to avoid big costs and a lot of planning. Nobody quite knows who came up with the idea of drop-in weddings first, says Kielland. – But it is not an initiative from the top. It’s a bit of ecclesiastical innovation from the grassroots, you might say. The first time they counted, in 2022, 30 couples got married in this way. The following year there were 34 pairs. This year it will be organized in 14 churches. – The fact that the church is flexible and sets a date when you can come without so much planning makes the church more accessible. It is something the church wants to be, says Jan Kristian Kielland. Photo: Image from GLENNE Luxury Weddings & Events But that’s not the only date people can get married drop-in this year. There are 10 other events throughout the year. If you think special dates are fun, you will probably not be surprised to hear that the most popular drop-in dates are 24.04.24 and 24.02.24. Could you have gotten married on the spot? Yes, I think that would suit me well 👰 No, I’d rather plan a big wedding 🙅🏻 Maybe, I’m not quite ready for the idea 💍 Show result In addition, several people are getting married on the leap year, 29.02.24. 59-year-old Steinar Fredriksen and 69-year-old Ole Johan Larsen from Sørfold in Nordland are two of them. – Never a gold wedding or a silver wedding – It’s very practical, because you only need to think about the day every four years. That’s what Steinar Fredriksen says. He and his boyfriend, Ole Johan, have been together for 13 years. They will be on holiday on the last day of February. – We will probably never reach either a golden wedding or a silver wedding. But every fourth year we will celebrate properly, he says. It is not just the date that is special about Steinar and Ole Johan’s wedding. The wedding will be historic. It is the first same-sex wedding in Sørfold in the municipality. The two lovers, Steinar Fredriksen and Ole Johan Larsen, had been talking about a wedding for quite some time. The town hall was never an option. Therefore, drop-in weddings suit well. Photo: Ole Johan Lasen / private Ole Johan and Steinar they are not the only ones. A total of seven couples will get married that day. – It will be a bit of an assembly line, but I think it will be very good, says Fredriksen. In contrast to the couple at Nes, Ole Johan and Steinar make a little more out of the day. The party, which was supposed to be small, now turns into a celebration with 30 guests. Steinar has time off from work as a public health nurse both before and after. Although there are just under 2,000 inhabitants in the municipality, 85 per cent are members of the church. 14 of them are getting married on 29 February this year. Photo: Ola Helness / news – There are slightly greater consequences than combing the hair, even if it is a drop-in, says parish priest in Sørfold, Lisbeth Torsvik Giselmann. Last year they had drop-in baptisms in the church, because there were many children born during the pandemic who had not been baptised. – It was so successful that we thought we could have a wedding too, says church steward Beate Breivik. There has been a lot of sadness connected to Sørfold church after three people were found dead at the beginning of January. The parish priest and the church minister say it has therefore been good to work towards the drop-in wedding. Photo: Petter Strøm / news But the name is a bit deceiving. Even if it’s drop-in, it’s not just about coming to get married on the day. First, you must report to the tax authorities and get a test certificate. The vicar says that some of the couples who are coming to get married this year have been cohabitants for 40 years. – Here they can get married without a wet cake dress and a big celebration. There will be a surrounding frame that is somewhat different from the one in the town hall, says Giselmann.
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Drop-in weddings on Valentine’s Day are becoming increasingly popular – news Nordland
